https://www.thoroughbredeventsaus.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/blog3-1.jpg500700MWS_SDhttps://www.thoroughbredeventsaus.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/logo_new.pngMWS_SD2019-06-25 13:25:482019-09-08 21:57:22Fashion Friday – Get Ready for Nowra Cup/Girls Day Out

Having recently won the latest Millinery Association of Australia’s Design Award 2018, we were elated to secure Rachael to showcase.Her winning piece was a knock out, showing such style and grace. Rachael expresses her work as “a combination of feminine shapes, designed to be a blend of elegance with a dash of high spirits”. And that Rachael does.

Rachael goes on to say “I love helping to create memories of those special moments in your life whether it is a wedding, a special occasion or if you are going to the races”.

Rachael started making hats in 1998. She studied millinery in Canberra, and then Adelaide, Australia,On returning to Canberra, she started her own millinery business and has been making hats for dignitaries, race goers, brides (and their mothers) ever since. Her hats have jetted off all over the world, including to royal weddings. Rachael also makes head wear for theatrical productions.

In 2015 Rachael was fortunate to work for Phillip Rhodes in Melbourne in his workroom for the spring carnival.

Rachael says, “A great hat is like a new pair of shoes or a fabulously cut dress or pair of trousers, it will make you walk confidently with your head held . Why does this happen?I suppose the reason will inevitably be different for everyone, but I suspect the right hat will tap into a part of the personality the wearer likes, and without words, shows this hidden or underused part to the world…. or maybe it just feels good.

Someone wise and anonymous once said ‘Happiness is a New Hat’. While this could be a bit ambitious, the right hat will certainly make anyone feel special. I’ve seen it.”

What a privilege it is to bring to you a Milliner who has taken fashions on the field by storm – the talented Mininery by Mel. Here is her story brought to you by Thoroughbred Events Australia.

Take it away, Mel ….

A little about me:

My full name is Melanie Atherinos and I am the owner, designer and the creative hands behind my Millinery label – Millinery By Mel.

I have always been a very creative person that loves everything pretty and matching, so millinery is the perfect profession for me. I have been very fortunate in my life to have had many opportunities and diverse career paths. After leaving school I studies Child Care where I worked for 6 years on the Sunshine Coast before moving to Mount Isa and being given the opportunity to study Marketing and take up the position as Events and Marketing Manager for a large Hospitality venue in the town. After having my son, I was started my own ‘work from home’ business specialising in Costumes and Event decorating.
After several year my husband and I decided a change was needed and we bought a caravan, packed up our family and started on our next adventure of seeing more of this wonderful country we live in. We spent 3 years travelling around but then decided to return to Mount Isa when our son turned 8 as he wanted a ‘normal’ life again. Outside of millinery my interest include camping, gardening, anything creative.

A little about my business: Millinery By Mel

My business is Me, myself and I…. It started as a hobby and with the help of Social Media and the internet, it is now a full time plus business that sends fascinators both nationally and internationally. In the last month, I have had a dramatic increase in the amount of international sales and I have been sending many designs to countries such as United state, Italy, China, New Zealand, Ireland, England and even Dubai.

Are you from a horse racing family or a fashion family background ?

No – not from either
Before starting to make Millinery, I had only ever been to 1 country race meet and wore a fascinator that I bought off Ebay and stuck a few extra feathers on to match my outfit.
I have ridden a horse once and decided it was better (and safer) for me to admire them in the paddocks. I am fortunate to live only 500m from our towns horse paddocks so I enjoy walking each day with my dog through the paddocks.
My favourite race meets now and definitely the Outback Country Races, you get to meet so many people from all different places and is wonderful to see the effort the ladies from the Stations go to when dressing up.
My greatest fashion belief is that you should always wear what you feel comfortable in – if you don’t feel confident and comfortable in what you are wearing – your true beauty will not shine through.

Have you Always lived in Mount Isa?

I was born in Cowra NSW where I lived for a couple of years before my family moved to the Sunshine Coast where I completed all my school and lived till I was 22. I then moved to Mount Isa for a change of scenery. I have called Mount Isa home for the past 17 years. I love living in the Outback and at this stage have no plans to leave.

Are you single or married with a small family?

I have a small beautiful family consisting of my husband, 12 year old son and a 22 year old stepson. I also come from a small family with only 1 sister. My mum lives in Mount Isa also and is often found helping out in my studio.

My family is my greatest support and fans – followed by my friends. Without these special people in my life I would never achieve my many great successes.
As much as my son says tracing leather leaves and flowers is ‘boring’ he always fronts up to the studio to help when needed. My husband steps in and is a fantastic ‘Mr Mum’ during the busy times and keep the household functioning when I am working long hours.
When did you discover your passion for millinery.
After travelling, I returned to my job as a Marketing Manager and I decided that in my spare time I needed something creative to do. So, I bought a few Millinery supplies from online… little did I know where that first fascinator would lead me to.
For 12 months I continued working as well as making Millinery in my spare time, however the demands of my business became to great and I chose to quit my job and take up millinery full time. Since then I haven’t looked back and I just keep getting busier and busier.
Initially my work space was a table beside my bed in our bedroom, it then took over the spare room and now rent a 2 bedroom unit that is home to the expanding Millinery By Mel Studio.
Did you study or are you self taught?
Learning millinery skills has been a lot of trial and error as well as completing online training through Hat academy. Unfortunately, due to living in Outback Queensland, it can get very expensive and difficult to attend training held on the coast however I was fortunate attend a few workshops including learn skills from Carole Maher and will also be flying to Melbourne later in the year to attend a Louise MacDonald Workshop.
I do look forward to in the future completing further studies and training with well know milliners in the industry. I do not claim to be a Milliner rather just a designer of beautiful headwear, one day my goal is to complete studies in Fashion and Millinery, however at this stage I am enjoying what I am doing.
My favourite material to work with is leather, I love the many ways it can be used and the fact that is it tran-seasonal and can be worn at any time of the year.

The most unique designs I have ever had to make were for a hairdresser for hair shows and were made from many hair extensions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1541132825633-1546ded4-abeb-6″ include=”6246,6245″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Have you been to Melbourne Cup?

In 2016 I attended Melbourne Cup for the first time – we went on a P&O cruise from Brisbane to Melbourne. We had a lovely time in the Home Straight Marquee however this meant we didn’t get to see a lot of the fashion and festivities that Melbourne Cup is renowned for. I hope to make my way back there one day with friends to experience the full week of racing and fashion.

My dream to achieve
To be completely honest – I think I am living my dream (ok maybe my dream has a few more hours sleep in it. LOL)

As I always say…. If you find a job doing something you love, you will never work another day in your life.
This pretty much sums me up, every day I get to go to work and be paid to create beautiful designs. I am so fortunate to work with a large number of lovely ladies who truly appreciate and praise my efforts. It is so rewarding to receive the glamourous photos of the my clients dressed up for Race days.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1541132825643-529b50d6-bfbe-3″ include=”6248,6251″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1541132825664-f0bdf9db-2607-1″ include=”6252,6250″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

It is so exciting meeting new up and coming milliners and seeing their take on millinery. With new milliners comes new ideas and today we would love to introduce you to Natalie Edmonds.

Natalie has been learning millinery since 2010 as she has a natural flare for creating and this would help build on her existing textiles and design skills. Natalie said millinery was challenging and rewarding and there are always something new to learn. “I’m always researching new styles, ideas, trends and enjoy following the domestic and international fashion houses to see how I can use my talent to suit my client needs. Millinery also brings peace and order to my often crazy schedule.”

Natalie has participated in workshops with both domestic and international award-winning milliners as she loves building on her skill set and learning new techniques. Her love has developed for specialising in race day headwear but is enjoying special pieces for mother of the bride/groom, cocktail parties and special functions.

It is with pride that Natalie is working hard for her first Spring/Summer collection to be released at the Thoroughbred Events’ Spring Racing Luncheon ‘exclusively”. Her main focus is to produce designs and styles that will suit everyone – using beautiful Spring colours to enhance her millinery.

When it comes to making a headpiece Natalie is very much mood orientated. “Sometimes I’m fascinated by a particular colour, fabric or texture or I will see a shape that I just want to block,” she said.

“I just let myself be guided by the process and enjoy blocking and making trims as I go, sometimes my original idea never eventuates and I end up with something far more magical- which is always rewarding.”

We are all be cheering Natalie on as she showcases for the first time. Our guests are in a real treat. Good luck Natalie and continue working on your dream!!!

Julie has amazing ideas. She focusing on attention to detail and is outstanding on creating such individuality.

So excited to see Julie back at our event on Sunday 16 September. Make sure you visit her area and have a chat. Julie is one of the loveliest woman in racing who assists her daughter in fashions on the field.

We wish her and Kate much more success but a huge thank you for always showcasing such amazing headpieces for us to admire.

We are so excited to be welcoming Kylie Heagney to our Spring Racing Luncheon.

Kylie is a Brisbane based Milliner who creates stunning headwear using the finest materials sourced from around the world. Her hats and headpieces are beautifully made with fine attention to detail.

Her millinery has featured in numerous fashion events including the Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival in Brisbane and Fashion on the Field events both locally and interstate. Kylie is from a racing family and this is where her passion for beautiful and unique headwear began.

After relocating from Melbourne to Brisbane Kylie decided to pursue studies in Millinery completing her qualifications in Cert II – Cert IV at MSIT, as well as attending various workshops and the hats off to Brisbane Millinery forum. This has given Kylie the skills to combine traditional and modern techniques whilst giving her pieces a unique touch.

And on Sunday 16 September, Sydneysiders have the opportunity to not only see Kylie’s wonderful work but meet her and talk to Kylie about her work and perhaps your style!!!!!

While it is chilly outside, Thoroughbred Events Australia have been busy securing an amazing line-up of Milliners for their spring event.

Autumn 2018 Milliners

In what was the quickest response to date, all Milliners have been secured for our next event. You will get to know all these Milliners over the coming weeks.

The venue is also confirmed and we are pleased that the Tattersalls Club are on board again for this exclusive luncheon. With stunning huge windows overlooking Hyde Park and exquisite decor, this venue is ideal for TEA guests due to such grandeur. With only a maximum of 80 seats, it will be open to regular attendees first then the public.

Each Milliner brings something new and exciting for Spring. Between all the Milliners confirmed, you cannot count the number of awards won in total. So at this event, it will be the people’s choice that will crown this year’s Milliner for Spring 2018 at The Spring Racing Luncheon.

Winner – Kerry McGlone – 2018 Autumn Millinery Award

Tickets will go on sale Monday 9 July for attendees who have previously attended, then to the public on Monday 16 July.

With french champagne being served while viewing the Millinery on arrival, this event most certainly is fit for a Queen.

The picturesque drive to Nowra took around 2 hours from west Sydney as Thoroughbred Events Australia headed to Shoalhaven City Turf Club to host the Fashions on the Field (FOTF) which was coordinated by Brooke Strathan. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1527581905402-9a729997-1aae-4″ include=”5504″][vc_column_text] Not only were we there for fashions but to also cheer on two of Sharon’s gorgeous horses […]